COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Hi, All. I was glad to find this group. I'm new to the group but not to DS.
My husband has had a really bad cough and horrible breathing for several years. He had a physical a couple of months ago. His doctor prescribed a couple of inhalers--Advair is one of them. I can't remember the name of the other. He also uses a steroid nasal spray.
After his appointment, I asked him if she diagnosed him with COPD. He kind of beat around the bush and finally said, "She didn't say that." He tells me he has sinus drainage problems.
Earlier this week he got a package from his insurance company. Inside was a big pamphlet entitled "Living with COPD" or "Managing Your COPD" or something like that. When I said, "You didn't tell me you had COPD," he replied, "What do you think she gave me all those inhalers?"
It's pretty obvious that he has COPD. He's either in denial or he's trying to protect me--I'm not sure which. Other than the inhalers, he's not doing anything for it. He still smokes 2-3 packs a day. He doesn't eat right. He doesn't exercise. He's retired, and he sits in front of his computer or in front of the TV all day.
I don't know anything about the stages of COPD. I don't know if his doctor has even told him if he's in a stage. I know that his cough is very bad. He coughs most of the time. I know that his breathing is very wheezy/raspy, even when he's resting.
I'm at a loss as to what to do for him. His doctor won't tell me anything, of course. He won't tell me anything. I don't know if he knows anything.
Is there any way I can tell what stage he's in by listening to him? Are there any good websites where I can get more information? I Google COPD, and I find the general information that I already know, but nothing detailed. I didn't know there were stages of COPD until I saw the discussion about it here.
I would appreciate any advice/information you are willing to share. Thank you!
My husband has had a really bad cough and horrible breathing for several years. He had a physical a couple of months ago. His doctor prescribed a couple of inhalers--Advair is one of them. I can't remember the name of the other. He also uses a steroid nasal spray.
After his appointment, I asked him if she diagnosed him with COPD. He kind of beat around the bush and finally said, "She didn't say that." He tells me he has sinus drainage problems.
Earlier this week he got a package from his insurance company. Inside was a big pamphlet entitled "Living with COPD" or "Managing Your COPD" or something like that. When I said, "You didn't tell me you had COPD," he replied, "What do you think she gave me all those inhalers?"
It's pretty obvious that he has COPD. He's either in denial or he's trying to protect me--I'm not sure which. Other than the inhalers, he's not doing anything for it. He still smokes 2-3 packs a day. He doesn't eat right. He doesn't exercise. He's retired, and he sits in front of his computer or in front of the TV all day.
I don't know anything about the stages of COPD. I don't know if his doctor has even told him if he's in a stage. I know that his cough is very bad. He coughs most of the time. I know that his breathing is very wheezy/raspy, even when he's resting.
I'm at a loss as to what to do for him. His doctor won't tell me anything, of course. He won't tell me anything. I don't know if he knows anything.
Is there any way I can tell what stage he's in by listening to him? Are there any good websites where I can get more information? I Google COPD, and I find the general information that I already know, but nothing detailed. I didn't know there were stages of COPD until I saw the discussion about it here.
I would appreciate any advice/information you are willing to share. Thank you!
When the air sacs i your bronchial tubes get irritated, they close up, and no or little air gets thru, so you are wheezing, instead if breathing. This is always a danger sign.
If he coughs up a lot of phlegm/mucous, and it is colored, (green. yellow, brown, ect) that means an infection, and if that is not cleared up will lead to pneumonia, each pneumonia stay does more damage to your lungs, so the idea is to stay as healthy as possible.
With copd, the lung damge is permanent, you can nor regrow lung tissue, so you have to stay away from all irritants, ESPECIALLY SMOKING!!!
Smoking itsself can cause pneumonia, not to mention the other immediate damage to the already damaged lungs.
I do not understand why the doctor will not tell you anything, you are his wife. Unless he told the doctor not to, maybe he is afraid you will make him quit smoking.....
Get him an appointment with a pulmonoligist, (lung specialist) and make sure you are listed as a person that medical info can be shared with.
This diseaseis different for each person, and your husband does not seem to realize how seriously ill he is, or he does not want to know.
So the ball is in your court honey. men just do not like to admit they are sick, so you may have a problem getting him to go, but he needs a lung specialist.
I likethe info at webmd, johnshopkins hosp, ask.com, just google copd and make a list of the ones that sound legit and not just selling you something.
Our group friends will find you a lot of websites,, and everyone one here will help you on any way they can.
Please understand that "a couple of inhalers" is not the answer.If he uses them correctly, they will open his air sacs and stop the wheezing, if not he may have an infection. And as for what stage he is in, only a lung specialist would know.Taking care also involves daily exercising, and good nutrition.
Welcome to our goup, and I wish you the best of luck with this.
Please get him an evaluation by a lung specialist and tell him firmly (Husband and the Dr.) that you are 1/2 of this marriage and you need to know what is going on and what to do to help him.
Keep us posted
BJ
Good luck and I wish you well...
Curt
BJ has it on the money. Man rule #22 says we never show that we are sick and never ask for help - at least till they carry us out on a stretcher. I didn't really take my doctor seriously until he said to enjoy my life. So I went to a pulmonologist a month later and found out what it was all about.
No real nice way to put it. IMO he needs to make some serious changes to his life style. This disease is a killer and smoking is just accelerating it...
Take care,
Dennis
COPD links:
http://www.emphysema.net/bindex.asp
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd/
http://copd.about.com/popular.htm
My husband is a man who is in denial. I asked him last night if the doctor ever recommended he see a pulmonoligist. He said, "I took that test and she didn't say anything, so I'm sure I'm fine." I wanted to scream, "No, sweetie, you are not fine! Your cough is horrible! Struggling to breathe while you're watching TV is not fine!"
I believe he would rather die than quit smoking. We've been married 14 years. Before we married, he said he was going to try to quit smoking. He hasn't said a single word about trying to quit since then. When I bring it up, he changes the subject. He changed doctors the doctor told him to quit smoking. He doesn't want to quit.
My brother died of COPD in February 2011. He lived in another state, so I didn't see the progression of his illness. He, too, had a really bad cough. My husband's cough is as bad as my brother's was the last time I saw him--about two years before he died. My husband's condition worries me a lot, and his refusal to do anything about it angers me.
Again, thank you all for your advice and the information you've provided. It gives me a starting place.
Sorry to say it just sounds like your hubby isn't gonna do anything to help himself until (maybe) its just too late.............so please take care of YOU.
You've done (doing) all you can....its up to HIM now.
I did not want to quit either until it cmae to the choice breathing or not breathing. I don.t know what to say to make you feel better.
.I am so sorry you are having to go thru this, and you cant do anything. You can insist he go to a pulmonary doctor, or insist he quit, but it is all up to him.
Maybe if he has a male friend that could talk to him, preferably a non smoker.
You do not want to preach to him or nag him, I know from my own experience, for some reason I smoked more, the more people wanted me to stop...Crazy isn,t it.
But if a friend or relative of the male persuasion could convince him to see the lung doctor...maybe a loving intervention type thing where he is told how much he is loved and needed,
I wish I could think of something, but like everyone says and agrees on, it is his ultimate decision to quit or not, and to go or not, and sadly you are caught in the middle.
Take care of yourself too, the smoke is not good for you to be breathing in, as well as the stress is taking a toll on you. I will keep you in my prayers, and also pray that something happens to convince him to see a ddoctor and start living for what ever time he has left. May God give you peace and strength
BJ